Cellulose-ester composition.



uurrn STATQSWAEENT onnron.

CARLETON ELLIS, OF LARCHMONT, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO ELLIS-FOSTERCOMPANY,

' A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

CELLULOSE-ESTER COMPOSITION.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARLEToN ELLIS, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of Larchmont, in the county of Vvestchester and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inCellulose-Ester Composition, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to cellulose ester compositions; and comprises acomposition of matter adapted for plastic purposes and containing anester of cellulose and the prodnot of combination of chloral with anorganic body containing hydroxyl groups; all as more fully hereinafterset forth and as claimed.

The esters of cellulose, such as the nitrate, stearate, oleate,benzoate, acetate, formate, and the like, resemble the originalcellulose in many physical properties, and when colloided by suitablesofteners or solvents may be employed to produce strong, tough anduseful filaments, films and other plastic shapes. Nitrocellulose is theester most generally employed at present. When treated with a suitableamount of camphor and heated, the two bodies commingle and unite, thecamphor acting as a solvent or softener and producing a body which isfreely plastic when hot, allowing it to be shaped to any desired form,and becomes hard when cold. This is the ordinary celluloid.Nitrocellulose being an explosive body and camphor being freelycombustible, cellulose is a very inflammable body. In the presentinvention I replace the inflammable camphor either in Whole or in partby new solvent or softening bodies which are less inflammable andpossess other advantages for the present purposes.

I have-discovered that by uniting chloral (C HChO) with various complexorganic bodies containing hydroxyl groups, that I obtain compositionswhich have a softening or solventaction on the nitrate and other estersof cellulose. These chloral derivatives are much less inflammable thancamphor, wax and other bodies which have heretofore been used incelluloid compositions. .Many

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. 1', 1911.

Application filed November 9, 1907. Serial No. 401,515.

larly suitable for the present purposes. Ordinary castor oil may bemixed with about an equal Weight of chloral, the mixture heated gentlyto produce the chloral derivative and any excess of chloral then removedby washing or distillation. This chloral derivative is then combinedwith the cellulose ester in, say, a proportion of 10 to 50 per cent. ofthe former to 90 to 50 per cent. of the-latter, A suitable illustrativeformula may comprise per cent. of nitrocellulose,

-20 per cent. of camphor and,20 per cent. of

the castor oil chloral body formed by combining free chloral, and,preferably freshly made, chloral, with castor oil, using approximatelyequal parts for this purpose. Another illustrative formula may comprise30 per cent. aforesaid castor oil chloral compound combined with percent. nitrocellulose. WVhile in the present invention, I moreparticularly prefer to employ these chloral derivatives withnitrocellulose, yet other cellulose esters, such as stearate, oleate,benzoate, acetate, formate, etc., may be employed in its lieu.

In making a celluloid-like body from nitrocellulose, the chloralderivative may be employed in addition to the camphor ordinarilyemployed or it may replace such camphor altogether. The chloralderivative may also be employed with the ordinary camphor substitutessuch as casein, naphthalene, etc., to such an extent as may be desireddepending on the degree of hardness, or flexibility, or resiliencyrequired. -It is, of course, possible to introduce in the usual mannervarious fillers or coloring matter,

such as talc, zinc white, oxid of iron, Prus slan blue, wood flour, andsimilar material. The combmation or incorporatlon of the- Acelluloid-like plastic comprising a cellulose ester and a combination ofcastor oil with chloral.

4. A celluloid-like plastic comprising a nitrocellulose and acombination of castor oil with chloral.

5. A celluloid-like composition consisting of substantially 70 per cent.nitrocellulose and 30 per cent. of a combination of castor oil withchloral..

6. A plastic composition comprising a cellulose ester and a compound ofchloral nature containing a hydroxyl group.

7.'A plastic composition comprising a 15 cellulose ester and a compoundof chloral with a hydroxylated oily body.

8.'A plastic composition comprising nitrocellulose and a compound ofchloral with a hydroxylated oily body.

Signed at New York in the county oi New York and State of New York this21st day of October A. D. 1907.

CARLETON ELLIS.

. Witnesses:

JAMES D. REMSEN, NATHANIEL L. FOSTER.

